Fitness & Nutrition articles
Blog posts, articles and recipes from PT and author Tracy Griffen. She is a prolific writer - a regular columnist for the Scotsman newspaper, Bite magazine, Leither magazine and Trinity and Stockbridge Spotlight magazines. Tracy has written for Women’s Running, Fitnorama, PT Today and Ultra-Fit magazines, and is the author of two books: Healthy Living Yearbook and Get Fit & Enjoy It: Learn Effective Exercise from Home.
She has appeared on the BBC Scotland Radio Kaye Adams show, and even taught host Kaye how to do a press-up, live on radio!
An honest review of Huel
I’ve been asked a lot for my opinion on Huel.
On their website it’s described as “Fast, nutritious, complete food. Designed by expert nutritionists as a convenient way to get all the daily nutrients you need”.
But is it?
Pea shoots pesto recipe
Pea shoots are a nutrient-rich superfood. They are full of Vitamins A, B6, C, E and K. They're a low-calorie source of beta carotene, folate, fibre, riboflavin and thiamine. A perfect food to keep you healthy over winter.
Here’s my recipe for a simple pesto sauce that makes quick weeknight pasta sauce.
Chestnuts are the best nuts
Here’s all the information you need about our favourite nuts, the chestnut.
So easy to prepare, this winter treat is also very good for you. Enjoy!
Health Benefits of Microgreens
We all know we need to eat more vegetables, but eating fresh in Scotland over winter can be… uninspiring. Roast vegetables and soup are great, but it’s important to have something fresh and crispy. Something green that’s not supermarket salad. Try microgreens.
Kale Crisps recipe
This super easy recipe transforms kale into a delicious cheesy snack. No word of a lie! Kale crisps are definitely my favourite way to eat this leafy green. Try it, and you’ll love it…
Nettle Soup Recipe
Get foraging! Stinging nettles can be found growing wild and are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals improving immunity, and can be described as “Nature’s Multivitamin”.
Golden Spurtle Speciality Recipe: Lunch for a Fitness Studio
Tracy’s specialty recipe for the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship is lunch for a fitness studio… Delicious and puddinglike, plus some for Coco the fitness pug.
All about the Golden Spurtle
Next weekend is the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championships in the Highlands and Tracy is delighted to be a finalist.
An honest review of a McPlant burger
An honest review of the new McPlant burger from McDonalds, compared to my homemade version.
Energy food recipe: Dried Apple Rings
Why not make you own dried apple rings? So simple, nutritious and a wonderful snack on-the-go. Low GI, so they are excellent for energy.
Easy Seasonal Recipe: Briam - Greek Potato and Courgette Bake
This is as seasonal as recipes get, using all the vegetables we have at our allotment.
Easy Healthy Recipe: Rhubarb Leather
Fruit leather, or jerky, is simply pulverised fruit that has been dried out. It’s a handy snack on-the-go, and is super simple to make
Elderflower Cordial Recipe
Diluted elderflower cordial is wonderfully summery drink to have in a drink bottle when running or cycling. Water with a small amount of carbohydrate (i.e. sugar) is more readily absorbed through the stomach wall compared to plain water.
Super Easy Snack Recipe: Soy Sunflower Seeds
A super easy snack recipe, so delicious and moreish. Sunflower seeds are low GI, so satisfy hunger, while also supplying significant amounts of vitamin E, magnesium and selenium.
Easy Red Lentil Soup Recipe
My favourite soup recipe is cheap, simple, quick and has a good whack of protein for busy days. Add whatever vegetables you have languishing in your fridge. Delicious served with crusty sourdough bread.
Easy Healthy Recipe: Roasted Walnuts
Walnuts go rancid very quickly, so if you have some lurking at the back of a cupboard, try this recipe for making them edible, actually delicious. They are wonderful sprinkled on salad or crumbled into breakfast.
A Scientific Exploration of Houmous / Hummus with Recipe
Hummus (or houmous) is a traditional Mediterranean chick pea spread, that is readily available in supermarkets. Find out why you should make your own (recipe and vieo included).
Easy Healthy Festive Recipe: Cashew Nut Roast
This is my favourite Christmas dinner, easy to make in advance. The recipe appears in my first book, the Healthy Living Yearbook. Why not shake things up this Christmas and do things differently with a veggie main? The turkeys will thank you!
Easy Brown Rice Recipe
Brown rice is super healthy and can give you energy. Here’s an easy method for cooking it where you can literally walk away and come back an hour later to delicious perfectly cooked brown rice.
Simple Healthy Snack Ideas
A list of some simple healthy snack ideas for when you need some inspiration but can’t be bothered cooking.
Buy the book(s)
A published author, Tracy Griffen’s books are available from selected independent Edinburgh bookshops, or buy online from our shop.